Osprey Sightings WANTED…….

Student Grant Concept

As part of our Birds of Poole Harbour research and education focus we are trialing a new student grant scheme, which will see junior researchers apply for the opportunity to carry out specially commissioned projects with the aid of a small grant, with the aim of publishing a final report and their findings on the Birds of Poole Harbour website. The project will see students (aged 16-21) apply for the grant by submitting pieces of work they have carried out in the past, and that work being assessed and judged by our Birds of Poole Harbour trustees panel. Pieces of work will be assessed on project objectives, findings, detail of analysis and their conclusion. The successful student will be selected by the panel and commissioned to carry out a pre-chosen study within Poole Harbour.

Purpose

Encouraging the next generation of conservationists to take action and show an interest in local and non-local environmental topics is vital. There are very few opportunities for students that provide a stepping-stone when going from school/college on to university or even into a job that allows you to build up knowledge, experience and a portfolio within your chosen field of interest. By setting up this student research scheme, it will hopefully provide local budding young conservationists with the chance of carrying out a valued and relevant piece of research in a paid capacity that fits in with their future goals.

Student Grant Trial

To trial our scheme we have invited Brittany Maxted, a student from Parkstone Grammar School to carry out a project for us this summer. Brittany has just completed her A Levels, and is now awaiting news of a university placement, but whilst waiting to hear from them she was keen to get involved in some of our work.

I have attached the report, and I'm sure you'll agree its a pretty impressive piece of work. To provide Brittany with some experience in further research before she goes to university, Birds of Poole harbour have commissioned her to carry out some research work on Poole Harbour Ospreys this autumn with the aid of a small student research grant.

Brittany has been putting together a public data gathering process which she will incorporate with some of her own field work with the aim of producing a report titled…."An analysis into the distribution, feeding activities and totals of Osprey in Poole Harbour during autumn migration 2015"

If you could, can you please report all Osprey sightings within Poole Harbour (including Wareham Forest) in July, August, September and October to Brittany to help build her data set for the project. Attached (and detaioed below) is Brittany's information request sheet which details the kind of information she is after. If, when submitting data to her you can be as thorough as possible that would be great. However, general sightings are just as valued so please let her know when you see one, two or three!

If this project is successful we would look to possibly role out an annual student research scheme, providing budding young local researchers and conservationists the opportunity to carry out a valued and relevant piece of research. Watch this space....